Quantification & Costing

Question 1

Strip Foundation Take Off

Answer 1

• Excavation,
• disposal,
• compaction,
• formwork,
• blinding,
• hardcore,
• concrete.

Question 2

Drainage Take Off

Answer 2

• Excavating trenches stating average depth (500mm increments)
• Granular bed
• Pipe type and size
• Backfill and disposal of excess excavated material
• Manholes; type and size
• Connection to existing drains.

Question 3

NRM1 Cost Plan Structure:

Answer 3

0; Facilitating Works
1-8; Building works (see separate breakdown)
9; Preliminaries
10; Overhead & Profit
- Works Cost Estimate (Construction)

11; Design Team Fees:
Architect, Civils, M&E, Project Manager, Quantity Surveyor, Principal Designer

12; Other development:
Finance, Planning, Insurances, Party wall, Marketing, Ecology, Archaeology etc.
- Base Cost Estimate (Development)

13; Risk Allowances:
Design Development, Construction Risk, Employer Change, Employer Other
- Cost Limit exc. Inflation (Dev & Con x Inflation)

14. Construction Inflation (tender return to the mid-point of the construction programme) Tender Inflation (cost plan date to tender return)
    - Cost Limit Inc. inflation (Dev & Con inc. Inflation)

VAT assessment (requirement to be assessed by a tax specialist)

Question 4

Dayworks

Answer 4

• Prime cost of the works with a percentage uplift.
• Contractor must provide dayworks sheets within 7 days of works. - Materials, labour, plant & OHP.
• Used when works cannot be quantified prior.
• E.g. breaking out obstructions in the ground as the extent of work is only known after it has been completed.

Question 5

Principles of Measurement International (POMI)

Answer 5

• International guidance for producing a BoQ (RICS).
• Widely used on international contracts
• e.g. Works procured and managed in the UK but works located abroad. (International Equivalent to NRM2)

Question 6

BIM

Answer 6

• Building Information Modelling creates and manages information over the course of a construction project lifecycle.
• Not widely adopted due to:
• cost,
• training,
• software integration.

Question 7

Cost Approaches (detail)

Answer 7

GIA - £/m2
Strategic

Functional -£/per bed/person etc; Resi, Flats, Houses - Hospital; Beds – School; Nr of students
Feasibility

Elemental – NRM; Substructure, Superstructure etc
OoCE

Element – Ground Floor Slab, Upper Floor, Roof, External wall
Formal Cost Plan

Question 8

Piled Foundation Take Off

Answer 8

• End bearing, bored pile;
• Excavate & dispose to formation level,
• piling mat,
• setup piling rig,
• excavate,
• dispose,
• place concrete, reinforcement,
• pile caps,
• cut off heads,
• testing

Question 9

What would you do if you weren’t sure on how to measure something?

Answer 9

I would review NRM1 if I was undertaking costing for a Cost Plan or NRM2 if more detail was required

Question 10

GFS Take Off

Answer 10

• excavate,
• dispose,
• compact ground,
• hardcore,
• insulation,
• damp proof membrane,
• concrete,
• screed (consistent level for racking)

Question 11

Kings Tower - NIA to GIA

Answer 11

• 15k m2-
• Existing building inc to make communal area.
• Reduced Net to Gross to 75%
• 80% typical

Question 12

BoQ vs CSA Princess Street

Answer 12

• 12 unit apartment so works considered simple in nature - CSA adequate to capture works
• BoQ appropriate if works complex to facilitate tender comparison and accurate valuation

Question 13

NRM 2 - Foundation excavation

Answer 13

• NRM 2
• State ground level
• M3 Excavation not exc 2m, 2-4m, 2m stages after
• NRM 1
• Foundation confirmed as M - depth, width stated

Question 14

Difference between NRM 1 vs 2

Answer 14

NRM 1 - Cost planning (pre-contract)
NRM 2 - Detailed measurement (post-contract i.e. trade package award - greater detail required)

Question 15

Importance of Measurement Rules

Answer 15

• Provide consistency to measurement of construction works which allows comparison on a like for like basis.

Question 16

CESMM4 vs NRM 2

Answer 16

• CESMM4 is used for civil engineering projects which typically have higher quantities but less variety of materials.
• The different approach to measurement makes quantification easier/more accurate.

Question 17

I understand that costing construction work varies dependent on which Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) stage the project is at. For example, costing approach would differ from the feasibility stage compared to RIBA stage 4.

Answer 17

• 0 Strategic - Identify Client requirements, feasibility (budget and risks)
  Cost Model (£/m2)
• 1 Preparation - Project brief & outcomes, quality aspirations, further feasibility, site info and surveys, programme, project execution plan
  Order of Cost Estimate
• 2 Concept - Arch concept design, outline specification
  Formal Cost Plan 1
• 3 Spatial - Developed design and costing
  Formal Cost Plan 2
• 4 Technical - Developed arc, eng, civil design, building systems
  PTE

Question 18

Different buildings can be used in very different ways and as such I appreciate the importance of following the guidelines within the Code of Measurement Practice.

Answer 18

• GLOBAL BEST PRACTICE FRAMEWORK FOR MEASURING PROPERTY AREAS (consistency)
• GEA, GIA, NIA International Property Measurement Standards (IPMS)
• IPMS 1, 2 and 3 are more inclusive in measurement then GEA, GIA and NIA.
• Included but stated separately; areas with limited height (less than 1.5m), Areas with limited natural light, Internal structural walls / columns.
• e.g. balconies excluded GIA, IPMS stated separately

Question 19

Meole Brace - When completing a RIBA stage 2 (should be 1) Order of Cost Estimate I quantified elements such as the ground floor slab by making design assumptions and utilising composite rates.

Answer 19

• OoCE GFS = £150/m2
• Formal Cost Plan:
• Excavation and disposal
• Compacting
• Hardcore fill
• Blinding bed
• Damp proof membrane
• Insulation
• Concrete
• Formwork
• Reinforced mesh
• Power float finish

Question 20

Which RIBA stage would you do an OoCE?

Answer 20

• RIBA Stage 1
• *Note you have referred to Stage 2 in SoE

Question 21

UPS
Early on in the project a redundant drainage run was identified which needed to be removed. I engaged with the Main Contractor in order to establish how best to agree a costs for the works.
What were the key components of work? Type of pipe, depth?

Answer 21

• Prime cost of the works with a percentage uplift.
• Contractor must provide dayworks sheets within 7 days of works. Materials, labour, plant & OHP.
• Used when works cannot be quantified prior. E.g. breaking out obstructions in the ground as the extent of work is only known after it has been completed.
• Old ceramic style drainage run circa 1m deep
• Break out, dispose, back fill onsite material
• Onsite Project Manager was able to confirm dayworks sheets aligned with submission. 2 days work to remove entire run

Question 22

Wrexham
On the project there was a Provisional Sum included for the substation base. When the substation base design information became available, I reviewed the validity of the Main Contractors price from both a quantity and a cost perspective to ensure the change was in line with the contract.

Answer 22

• Size and location TBC at time of contract execution
• 3m by 3m, 1m deep
• £3k Prov Sum
• Quantity smaller so small saving £2k

Question 23

What is a substation?

Answer 23

• Electricity is distributed at HV
• the voltage is lowered so it can enter our homes and businesses at a usable level.

Question 24

Oxford, Residential Apartments
I produced the pricing document for the scheme which was done by using RICS New Rules of Measurement 2 (should be 1). Producing the pricing document (Contract Sum Analysis) aided in ensuring all components of work were covered and so tender returns could be readily compared to one another.

Answer 24

• Set out works with NRM 1
• Prelims (Fixed & Time) e.g. OHP, Security, Consultant fees

Question 25

Sheffield, Residential Tower I used Cost X when taking off quantities as part of producing an Order of Cost Estimate, using the measurement guidelines set out in RICS New Rules of Measurement 1. I ensured I set the scale from drawings.

Answer 25

- Code of Measurement Practice GIA - Measured to the internal face of the building - NIA Internal face of apartments

Question 26

On the scheme (Kings Tower) I checked the accuracy of the GIA and NIA as presented in the area schedule. An element of the project meant that the Net to Gross ratio was lower than I would typically expect.

Answer 26

- Works incorporated existing building for communal area. - Reduced Net to Gross to 75%

Question 27

UPS An issue was identified by the Main Contractor with regards to the proposed site levels whereby the finished floor level did not align with the level of the office entrance. I advised the Client which party held the risk for the design under the contract. I advised the Client what needed to be done to resolve the issue and how it would be costed.

Answer 27

- Traditional; Design issue Client held risk - MC raised with CA - I advised Client of issue and confirmed instruction - CA instructed Civil Engineer to update DWGs - QS (me) costed - MC costed - CA instructed works

Question 28

UPS - On the project a Provisional Sum had been included for the kitchen within the office area of the building. I advised the Client on when the completion of the design component needed to be finalised and how it would be incorporated into the contract.

Answer 28

- 2 months prior to installation deadline for confirmation / order - Client liaised with Architect on specification - MC to confirm cost direct from supplier - MC OHP at 5% - Prov Sum omitted and replaced with new cost - £40k Prov Sum, £50k Included (Risk of Prov Sums)

Question 29

Oxford, Residential Apartments I advised the Client on which pricing documents should be used in line with the use of the JCT Design and Build contract. The Client queried whether a Bill of Quantities could be used so I advised on when its use would be more appropriate. I further advised on the significance of the pricing document post contract.

Answer 29

- Tendered at Stage 3 so too early to use BoQ - 12 unit apartment so works considered simple in nature - CSA adequate to capture works - BoQ appropriate if works complex to facilitate tender comparison and accurate valuation - CSA to be used for valuations as well

Question 30

How would you complete a BoQ?

Answer 30

- Not something I do day to day but would ensure I followed guidance from NRM2 * form of tender (including certificate of bona fide tender) * summary * preliminaries * measured works (main part) * non-measurable works e.g. Prov Sums, Contractor-designed works, Risks, OHP